Please HELP! New chickens limping and have poop butt

[Wannabe NE Farmer]

Please help. I brought home 5 new chickens from a small farm yesterday, and 2 of them are limping. I knew they were limping and chose to take them anyway because I have other chickens with disabilities. But now I’m worried that they are actually sick… I’m hoping not, because although they are separated from the others, I don’t think I quarantined them accurately.

The both hold one leg weird, like the toes kinda curl in… but the can stand on it some. I checked, and they were both vaccinated for Mareks Disease as chicks, so it can’t be that, right?! They (and one of the other chickens that isn’t limping) also have poop stuck in the feathers under their vents. Could this ge stress related from their move? Last night the 2 hens seemed a little lethargic, but I think it may have been stress because today they seem to be eating and drinking, although they aren’t moving around more than necessary. One of them is mostly laying down to eat/drink but when I gave them scratch and mealworms, she was the first to rush over to get them! When I cleaned up her butt and inspected her, she was calm but not really lethargic.

I cleaned their butts, cut some feathers around their vents to help keep them clean, and pt Hydro Hen in their water

One of the hens has a swollen foot, and I’m questioning bumblefoot, but she is actually favoring the other foot, so that’s confusing!
The other seems to have a bump on one foot too.

I also noticed some broken feathers on one girl’s back… I’m guessing it’s from a rooster, but when I looked closer, it looked like it was kinda crusty. Could there be mites or lice? Do their legs look good or are their scaly leg kites at all?

Thank you for any help you provide! I just want to give them the best care possible and get some reassurance that they won’t infect my other chickens.

 

[swamphiker]

Did you see where the chickens were being kept at the farm you got them from? Poopy butts could indicate crowded or cramped conditions, but could also indicate disease/sick chickens. It's advisable to quarantine new chickens for 30 days regardless.

If it were me, I would keep all of the new chickens away from the rest of your flock and treat them for mites and worms just in case.

Best of luck with your new gals!

 

[aart]

I brought home 5 new chickens from a small farm yesterday, ..... I don’t think I quarantined them accurately.

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

I also noticed some broken feathers on one girl’s back… I’m guessing it’s from a rooster, but when I looked closer, it looked like it was kinda crusty.

Looks like new pin feather growing in, the dusty stuff is pin feather sheathing coming off.....normal.

Could there be mites or lice?

Bug check should be part of quarantine

Check them over real well for mites and/or lice......

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[Wannabe NE Farmer]

Do their feet look like it’s like mild bumblefoot? Or swelling from something else?

 

[Wannabe NE Farmer]

Did you see where the chickens were being kept at the farm you got them from? Poopy butts could indicate crowded or cramped conditions, but could also indicate disease/sick chickens. It's advisable to quarantine new chickens for 30 days regardless.

If it were me, I would keep all of the new chickens away from the rest of your flock and treat them for mites and worms just in case.

Best of luck with your new gals!

I will treat for mites and worms if nothing else, for my own peace of mind. I didn’t see their coop/shed, but these chickens were very well loved, and are super used to being handled. So I can’t imagine they lived in unfit or crowded quarters. Also, the owner said they didn’t have poop on their butts yesterday, and I didn’t notice this until today. Could that be from the stress of moving? Or is there something in my quarantine area that could cause that? I have straw down on a dirt floor and in the coop.

 

[Wannabe NE Farmer]

Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article


Looks like new pin feather growing in, the dusty stuff is pin feather sheathing coming off.....normal.



Bug check should be part of quarantine

Check them over real well for mites and/or lice......

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

Thank you! I will try checking them for bugs tonight for sure! Should I quarantine the 3 that seem healthy from the 2 with a limp as well as quarantining away from my original birds, or using too late at this point, as they all came from the same farm together?

 

[aart]

Thank you! I will try checking them for bugs tonight for sure! Should I quarantine the 3 that seem healthy from the 2 with a limp as well as quarantining away from my original birds, or using too late at this point, as they all came from the same farm together?

I'd leave all the new ones together.
Make sure you read the link I posted about quarantine.